mom delivers birth to baby son and smiles with him laying on her chest in hospital bed while dad reaches down to hold his tiny hand during Asheville birth photography session at Mission Hospital with Rachel Marie Photography

So You Want to Hire a Birth Photographer… Advice from an Asheville Birth Photographer

February 4, 2026

Asheville, Birth, Photographer

Eeek!!!! I absolutely LOVE that you’re thinking about hiring a birth photographer!!!

Whether this is your first, your last, or somewhere in the middle, birth is such an miraculous experience to have captured! Not only do you get incredible images of your little one in their first few minutes/hours of life but you also get incredible images of your resilience and strength through labor and delivery! You can look back and think, wow I can’t believe I did that!

pregnant mother in labor at mission hospital in Asheville, NC during birth photography session with Rachel Marie Photography

As a birth photographer and mom of two, I wanted to share a few pieces of advice that I have for as you plan to have a birth photographer at your birth!

Pregnant mom in labor lays in hospital bed while husband helps her drink water in labor and delivery room at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC with birth photographer Rachel Marie Photography

In a nutshell…

Get to know your photographer
Advocate for yourself to your doctors/birth team
Talk about it with your husband/support person
Read your birth photography contract carefully and ask questions
Stay in close communication with your photographer (37wks+)
Let the hospital staff know you have a birth photographer coming (delivery day)
Soak it all in mama!
Order that photo album!

But let me explain a little more below…while you also look at pretty pictures that make you want to hire me to photograph your birth 😉

mother holds newborn baby boy she just delivered at mission hospital in Asheville, NC

tiny newborn hands just after birth at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC

Before Your Birth

1. Get to Know Your Photographer

Birth is one of the most raw, intimate human experiences and you may not know every medical professional who walks in the room but you do want to know your photographer. Whether you get to know them through their online presence on social media or you set-up a video/phone call with them, it’s important that you feel comfortable with them beforehand!

couple in labor at Advent Health hospital in Hendersonville, NC smiles as they take a selfie with Asheville birth photographer Rachel Marie Photography

My name is Rachel and I am an Asheville Birth Photographer with experience at both Advent Health Hospital in Hendersonville and Mission Hospital in Asheville! I have had two births at Advent myself and have never been more passionate about a photo session than in the delivery room! I have a calm, friendly and joyful demeanor and love to capture beautiful, emotional, and powerful birth images that tell your birth story without a ton of graphic content! That being said, I’ll photograph whatever you want me to mama! <3

2. Advocate for Your Desire to have a Birth Photographer to your Doctors/Birth Team

Next time you go to your OB for an appointment or talk to your midwife (if you have one), just let them know that you plan to have a birth photographer present at your birth and that this is something important to you. Most hospitals allow birth photographers, but they all have different restrictions and these can vary throughout the year (or pandemics) so just ask if there is anything that you or that your birth photographer needs to know about policies, etc.

3. Talk With Your Husband/Partner/Support Person About What You Want Your Birth Photography Experience to Look Like

Sometimes mama spends a lot more time looking for a birth photographer and viewing birth photos than anyone else and your husband/support person may have no idea what it really is that you want captured. I feel like most people who aren’t in the birth photography world just picture a vagina. And a lot of blood. And there’s just so much more beauty around capturing the whole experience besides that!

Show them examples of images that you love and share specific moments that mean the most to you! Let them know what you expect of them so you both have a clear vision of what you’re signing up for! If they’ve never had a photographer take candids before, you might even need to tell them that these aren’t posed, smiling at the camera photos, but that you want them to be present and to ignore the camera in the room as much as possible!

mother smiles while holding newborn baby boy just after delivery at mission hospital in Asheville, NC

4. Read your Birth Photography Contract Carefully and Ask Your Photographer Any Questions

The trickiest part of birth photography is the logistics of it all! There will always be a chance that your photographer will not make it to your birth due to unforeseen circumstances out of their control. Unfortunately, there is also a chance that something could go wrong and baby or mama may have health complications that require emergency interventions. The what-ifs don’t mean that you shouldn’t hire a birth photographer at all, but they do need to be discussed so you are all on the same page regardless of what unfolds.

father holds newborn son in Hospital room at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC while new mom looks on during birth photography session with Rachel Marie photography

5. Stay in Close Communication with your Photographer Throughout your Pregnancy, but Especially 37 Weeks+

Whether you’re dilating early, experiencing inconsistent contractions, having any signs of health risk, or your water just broke, it’s very important to keep your photographer in the loop as your pregnancy progresses! Especially as you become increasingly concerned that you are in labor! Your birth photographer will likely wait to arrive until you’ve been checked and are showing signs of active labor (6-7cm, difficulty talking through contractions) but it’s important they are in the know with you so they can be prepared! A group text with the two of you along with your support person/people would be a great way to keep communication going, even while you’re having intense contractions!

newborn baby boy is weighed and measured at mission hospital in Asheville, NC

At the Hospital

6. Let the Hospital Staff Know You Have a Birth Photographer Coming When You Arrive

As you get checked in and settled, let your nurse/hospital staff know that you have a birth photographer coming. This will help the front desk to know to expect you and the staff can bring you any additional paperwork that may be necessary to complete! Many hospitals do not allow photography of things like the administering of the epidural!

Learn More About RMP Birth Photography

nurse holds newborn baby boy just after delivery at mission hospital in Asheville, NC

7. Soak it All in Mama!

Just focus on what you are there to do, bringing your precious baby into the world and being present and in the moment with them…as much as possible with everything going on around you! The nice thing about having a birth photographer present is that you don’t have to worry about trying to remember every detail! And you certainly won’t! My clients have said to me “wow I thought I remembered most everything that happened but these photos are reminding me of how much I’ve already forgotten!” So just focus on you, your labor, your delivery and your precious baby boy or girl. And I’ll focus on documenting it all so you can cherish it for the rest of your life!

mother holds newborn baby boy just after delivery at mission hospital in Asheville, NC

8. Order that Photo Album!

We all have the best intentions to print our photos or put them into a photo album, but let’s be honest…it’s the first thing to get pushed to the side! But having a physical prints of your photos to hold and cherish, there’s just nothing else like it! Your photos, especially those of your birth, are meant to be held and cherished! Not just scrolled past! If your photographer offers album orders or print orders, don’t wait and put it off,